Budget 2019 to target 'unfair taxes', says Finance Minister

The Finance Minister will be targeting what he calls 'unfair' taxes in the next Budget.

Paschal Donohoe wants to make sure workers on average wages are not caught up in higher tax bands.

He has been speaking ahead of the Government's annual pre-budget feedback session today at Dublin Castle.

The National Economic Dialogue will see business groups, unions and social campaigners pitching their priorities to ministers.

"I think it is unfair that somebody who is on an average wage is already on the higher rate of income tax," said Minister Donohoe.

Among those attending today is the Small Firms Association (SFA) which says a national strategy is needed to support homegrown companies.

Linda Barry from the SFA says many smaller companies are still under pressure: "The big thing that we're saying for Budget 2019 is that there cannot be any measure that are going to add additional costs to small business.

"The competitiveness of our ecomony is already being called into question.

"We are at risk of going down the route - as we have done in the past - where in times of economic growth we let costs spiral out of control."